Autism
by The Time Spinner
Summary: Harry Potter gets his Hogwarts letter but all is not quite right. He is not what they had expected or wanted. Can the boy who lived defeat Voldemort even though he’s autistic? Sometimes the most unexpected people can do the most extraordinary things.
1. Chapter 1

**Autism**

Chapter One: **Discovery**

Rating: **T**

Disclaimer: **Harry Potter is not mine**.

* * *

Eleven-year-old Harry Potter sat at a table next to his teacher who was helping him do his maths. Harry Potter was not like other eleven year old boys. He was a wizard, though he did not know it, and at the age of three he had been diagnosed with mild to moderate autism. His relatives had immediately decided they did not want him and he was placed in foster care. Soon after however he had been lucky enough to be adopted by the Taylor's, a family who already had three grown up children of there own, one of which had Aspergers syndrome (a form of high functioning autism).

Harry attended a special school and with the on going support of therapists and his new parents Harry had flourished. So it was a tribute to both their and Harry's hard work when his diagnosis was changed to high functioning Autism just the week previous.

"Very good Harry" Clear Jones, his teacher said and smiled down at him.

Harry was a very bright boy and was excellent at reading and maths. His eye for detail was extraordinary as was his memory in certain areas.

"Do two more and then it will be almost time for home, ok," she said.

"Ok Miss Jones" Harry replied without looking at her.

* * *

At home his mum meet him at the front door and helped him undo his laces. Taking his bag he hung it on the peg set aside for it in the entrance way and took out his home book which he handed to his mum "here is my home book mum" he said and walked up stairs to his room where he would normally spend the next half an hour watching his favourite television programme.

His room was set up mainly in blues, which was his favourite colour. A giant map of the solar system was stretched over the ceiling; his bookshelf was full with books all placed in alphabetical order by himself. He had previously gone through a phase where he would take them all out and re-sort them every day but had since (mainly) given up the habit.

This day he would find something different in his room however. For there perched on his windowsill was a brown owl with a letter attached to its foot. For a few moments Harry just stood there looking at the owl. Then he turned and rushed down the stairs nearly falling over his own feet several times on the way.

"Owl" he yelled at his mum who had come around the corner to find out what the commotion was about "Owl, owl, owl" he said and pointed back up to his room.

"What owl Harry? What are you talking about?" She asked him calmly.

Harry swayed from side to side his hands were being flung around not far from his face "owl!" he pushed out again.

"Harry calm down" she said gently.

Harry swayed some more but slowly lowered his hands "Owl in my room! There's an owl in my room!" Then his hands were back at it again.

"Do you mean on your television? Is there an owl on television?" She asked softly.

"No! There is not an owl on my television! There is an owl on the windowsill!" He said seemingly exasperated with her.

Looking surprised Mrs Taylor made her way up the stairs and into Harry's room to see for herself. And sure enough sitting on the windowsill waiting for them (Harry had followed his mother up the stairs also) was an owl with a letter attached to its leg.

"Owl!" Harry said helpfully from behind her "there is an owl on the windowsill and it has a letter"

"Yes that's right Harry" she said slowly and moved over to the bird that stuck out its leg at her as if it expected her to take it.

Glancing at her son who had followed her over to the owl she gently, while trying to keep away from its beak detached the letter and lifted it safely away.

It was addressed to Harry, though it did not use the last name he had acquired when becoming a part of her family. 'Harry Potter' it read 'the first bedroom from the stairs, Number 8, Topaz Drive, London'.

"Its for you Harry, but could mum open it for you?" she asked him a little concerned about the origins of the letter.

"Open it" he replied while hoping from one foot to the other in anticipation.

"Dear Harry Potter, You have been invited to attend…"

For several minutes Mrs Taylor sat on the side of Harry's bed in contemplation. While Harry read and re-read the letter. Finally she stood up and taking a piece of paper and pen from Harry's desk scribbled a quick reply.

"To Professor McGonagall.

This is concerning the letter we just received by way of owl. I am not inclined to believe the contents but the delivery system was unique. Therefore I know there can be only three possibilities, 1, it's an elaborate hoax. 2, It's true. Or 3, I'm insane. So in response I purpose that if your letter is the truth you come in person tomorrow at 12 with infallible proof of what you say.

My husband, son and I will be expecting you.

Until then

Mrs Taylor."

* * *

The next day Mrs Taylor busied her self, making slices just in case they did have a guest. Her husband had reassured her it was merely a hoax but she was not sure. He had not seen the owl, had not touched its feathers nor watched it fly away.

The hours went by slow and it seemed to her that Harry was the least upset by the whole situation. He simply seemed excited that there had been an owl in his room. He went about his normal routine so that the only sign that he would be doing something different that day was the number of extra times he checked the time table stuck to the fridge.

Then as Mrs and Mr Taylor sat nervously on the couch in the lounge and Harry waited out side the front door anxiously the clock clicked over to 12:00 noon and the doorbell rang. Mrs Taylor jumped up to open the door but Harry who had been waiting got there first.

He opened the door and said, "Hello please come in" just as he had been taught to when a visitor had arrived that they were expecting.

"Thank you Mr Potter" Professor McGonagall said as she followed him into the lounge where she was greeted by a friendly Mrs Taylor and a suspicious Mr Taylor.

Professor McGonagall took the seat she was offered and was presented with a selection of Harry's favourite slices. Harry took one of each and lined them up immediately in the order he would eat them across his plate. He sat on the edge of his seat and stared out the window in apparent disinterest. He loved answering the front door, getting him to interact past that point had always been the difficult part.

"Good afternoon Mr and Mrs Taylor and Harry of coarse" Professor McGonagall said and smiled kindly at them all. Harry didn't turn his head or acknowledge he had even heard her.

This did not seem to bother the professor however "As was explained in the letter Harry has been invited to attend Hogwarts school for magical children, do not be concerned with your lack of knowledge of the magical world you are not alone there are many parents in the same boat"

"This Magic that you speak of" Mr Taylor asked in his deep voice "could you show us some?"

"Of course" McGonagall said and lifted her wand and transfigured a nearby vase into a duck.

There was a sound of Mr Taylor's plate hitting the ground but then for several moments the only sound was Harry "It's a duck" He said in the same tone he had welcomed the professor into the house.

It seemed the novelty of great big birds appearing in the house and worn of after the owl.

"Yes Harry that's right" Mrs Taylor said then she turned to Professor McGonagall "would you mind – getting rid of it now?"

McGonagall nodded her head and with the flick of her wand the duck was gone and the vase had once again appeared.

"Thank you" Mrs Taylor said.

"So you are saying that, that is the sort of thing that you will teach Harry to do?" Mr Taylor asked looking at the professor thoughtful.

"Yes amongst many other things" she said happy to see that they had quickly believed her.

"Are you sure that's wise?" he asked and ignored the glare his wife sent him.

It was McGonagall's turn to look surprised "he has a great amount of potential, I had the honour of teaching both his parents and they were both very talented and these things often run in families"

"Run in families you say" Mr Taylor said and turned to his wife with a meaningful look.

"Well what about it Potter? Would you like to come to Hogwarts?" she asked him. But Harry did not look at her or reply, he was no longer sitting on his seat but leaning over the magaizes on the coffee table and sorting them into alphabetical order.

Before the professor could say anything else Mr Taylor leaned forward "Tell me something, you say that magic runs in families?" the elder women nodded her head "So Harry's magic came from his family?" "Yes that's just what…" "Does anything else – run in his family?"

McGonagall looked perplexed by the question.

"What he means to ask," Mrs Taylor added while glancing at Harry "is whether autism ran in Harry's family also?" She asked

"Autism?" Professor McGonagall asked in confusion her eyes falling on Harry again.

"Have you not heard of it?" She asked slowly.

McGonagall opened her mouth to say something and then closed it again "No, I can't say I have I'm afraid"

The Taylor's glanced at each other, "so its not a wizard thing?" Mr Taylor asked.

"No, I can't say it is – does Harry have this autism?" McGonagall asked.

"He's high functioning now though" Mrs Taylor said proudly "we found out just last week didn't we dear?"

"Oh yes, we are very proud, very proud indeed" He said and smiled at his wife.

"So this autism is a good thing?" the professor asked trying to piece things together.

The Taylor's glanced at each other again "It's a difference in how his brain works" Mrs Taylor said.

"Harry… Harry" She said and leaned down by him "why don't you go and play in your room?" she asked, "I am sorting magazines" he replied.

"Why don't you take them with you to your room and sort them" She suggested.

"Why?" he asked

"Because your dad and I would like to have a serious discussion with Professor McGonagall"

"McGonagall" he said

"Go up stairs now Harry" She said firmly

"Up the stairs" He said, grabbed the magazines from the table and left with out once glancing at a single one of them.

"Have you never heard of it?" Mrs Taylor asked the older women.

"You'll have to forgive my ignorance" McGonagall said and waited for an explanation.

Mrs Taylor looked down "Autism is a spectrum disorder affecting one in every one-hundred-and-fifty children. The spectrum ranges from severe to mild autism, high functioning autism and then aspergers syndrome." She said seeming as if this was a speech she had had to repeat many times to many other people.

"Our eldest son has aspergers which is a form of high functioning autism, he spoke early and at first appeared just a little odd. The real problems started when he was in preschool. He wouldn't play with the other children and had great big tantrums over the smallest things. He would never look any one in the eye and didn't seem to have the comprehension to match his vocabulary." She said

Mr Taylor took over for her then "At first we thought he would grow out of it, but he didn't, then when he was five, after a request form his school we took him to a psychologist, a year latter he was diagnosed"

"He's in university now" Mrs Taylor continued, "studying to become an engineer, he gets some support form the disability services there and he's going from strength to strength"

"Harry is a on a slightly different part of the spectrum now but he wasn't when he first came to live with us at three and a half" Mr Taylor said "He was originally diagnosed with mild to moderate autism and had no communicative speech at the time"

"He rocked, continually flapped his hands and loved to stare at the cloths in the dryer go round and round, but his most difficult behaviours where the tantrums which could be set of by the smallest things, and his hate of being touched – it must be hard for a person who has never been though it to imagine, but when you have this child that you love but can never hug with out causing a meltdown, its hard"

"Things didn't stay like that though, we got him lots of therapy and help, Marie" Mr Taylor smiled at his wife "she worked with Harry every day, she spent endless hours trying different therapy's and slowly but surly we were blessed that Harry slowly came out from his shell – not every one is so lucky"

"He said his first word at five and by the time he was eight his diagnosis was changed to mild autism and then just recently it has been changed again to High functioning autism." Mrs Taylor said "His biggest difficulty remains his ability to communicate effectively, because of this he can have difficulties at school with learning, even though he's a smart boy."

"But if he is a wizard as you say, if the right supports are put in place for him and he can still obtain the therapies he needs I see no reason why he can not go to this Hogwarts, the question is whether you have the facilities and staff to support a boy like Harry" Mr Taylor said

"Professor McGonagall nodded "I believe that the headmaster will be happy to do what ever is needed to meet Harry's needs" She said, "we will do our own research and get back to you as soon as we know anything or need any more information" She said and stood up.

"Here" Mrs Taylor said and pulled open the draw on the bottom of the coffee table "here is some information on the autism spectrum" she said and handed her some pamphlets and then left to the kitchen only to come back a moment latter with a large file "and here is a copy of all of Harry's reports"

Taking the thick folder McGonagall nodded and then left with out saying much more.

"She seemed very quiet towards the end, do you think I said too much?" Mrs Taylor asked Mr Taylor.

"Not at all, she needed to know what we are dealing with before she starts rattling off huge plans for Harry which might not be possible."

"It's a shame she left so early, there was so much I wanted to ask her about the magical world and Hogwarts"

"I'm sure we'll have time to find out all of that latter, for now lets just take this thing one day at a time"

* * *

Harry watched from his window as Professor McGonagall left. He was excited, he could hardly wait to go to Hogwarts and learn to be a wizard. The spell that he had seen the women perform had been beautiful, and it had made perfect sense. He had known as soon as he had seen her movements that she had been making a duck out of the vase. He could hardly wait to get his own wand to try it.

* * *

**Authors note**: sorry if this came across as an essay on the autism spectrum. But as the main character is diagnosed with it I thought it would be best if I got that part of the story over and done with. There shouldn't be any other chapters like this one. More story less information form now on.

This story will not be updated as often as my other story. This one exists mainly because I had the sudden erg to write it. I have no proper overall plan or plot. I know bad idea right? So if any one at all has any ideas I could apply to this story please tell.

For those of you who are interested in learning more just put the words autism, or autism spectrum into google and it should come up with tons of information.


	2. Authors Note

**Authors Note:**

Sorry this is not an actual chapter. Due to the level of interest and the nature of the reviews I have received about this story I have created a forum for those of you that either wish to discuss the story or the autism spectrum itself. It's a place to get to know other people who are either on the spectrum or have loved ones, or friends that are.

Here is the link: http: //www. fanfiction. net /forum/ Autism /56887/

(Make sure you get ride of the spaces)

Sorry again to those that were hoping for an update.


	3. Chapter 2: Journeys

**Autism**

Chapter two: **Journeys**

Rating: **T**

Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter**

* * *

Soon it became very apparent that a second meeting would need to take place. The share volume of owls coming and going from the Taylor residence had become ridiculous. They had even made it into the local newspaper; in the story it spoke about how their back garden had appeared to become a daytime haven for these usually nocturnal birds. At first it had been a little amusing. But when families began to turn up to look out for owls it became a problem.

With the holidays now started Mrs Taylor was confronted with a problem most people with eleven year olds might never have to face. Every day on Harry's timetable one hour was set-aside at three pm for a walk with his mother. A walk had become useful not only because it got Harry out of the house, familiarised him with the neighbourhood and taught him some important skills (mainly crossing roads safely) but also because in the holidays he didn't get much exercise and it helped him burn of his excess energy which could become volcanic at times.

The problem was that it had been incorporated into his timetable. And as such it was something Harry expected to do everyday. The day after the news story however they encountered a problem. When walking out there front door there was a small crowd with camera's sitting on fold out chairs with cameras taking photos as two more owls arrived. Mrs Taylor cringed; there would be a pile of letters for her to answer when she got home. Not just from the school but also from the ministry of magic, which had become involved when it became apparent that some extra funding might be needed to accommodate Harry.

When they had come out some every one swamped forward to take photos of them and ask them how they attracted the owls to them. It had been a nightmare. The crowd wrapped around Harry and his mum and all talked at once. Harry's hands flew to his ears as his mum tried to get them all to back away and quieten down "my son" she tried and then realising they were not listening to her. She tried desperately to back Harry away. She took a firm hold of his shoulders and began backing him towards the door. It was then that some one took a photo of Harry, it was a cloudy day and the camera was not a small digital camera, but rather one used for news papers and such. So when it went of with its flash the effect was almost immediate. Harry started to scream, not the sort of scream of a lady scared of spiders seeing one on the television. The sort of scream that sounds like a person is being murdered.

Harry then lashed out. Hitting blindly all around him he had soon thrown himself to the ground where his melt down continued full force. The Crowd backed away and went silent enough for Mrs Taylor to angrily tell them to leave before she rang the police. They did not go for their scheduled walk that day, which did not help matters. But Harry was no longer in a state where he would be able to.

The next day when Mrs Taylor peered out of her window to find a new crowd gathered curiously she decided she would brave Harry's tantrums over the change in routine and not go for a walk. Facing another melt down in front of flashing cameras was not an experience she would be repeating. That was how she found her self and her son confined to the house. It was also then that she sent a very frustrated letter to Dumbledore and the ministry explaining why it had to stop immediately.

Not only that but the miss understandings and lack of awareness of just what Autism was, was causing multiple problems. So it was no surprise then when Dumbledore himself accompanied by his deputy headmistress and potions professor arrived. They sat around in the sitting room with Mr and Mrs Taylor while they awaited the Minister for Magic.

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit confused, this minister is the equivalent to our Prime Minister?" Mr Taylor asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry he's late but he's a very busy man" Professor McGonagall said.

"Yes but _why_ is he coming?"

"Harry is very important to our world Mr Taylor" McGonagall said.

Snape who had sneered at every thing he had been offered was sitting stiffly at the edge of his seat.

"Because of that evil wizard? He was just a baby. I don't understand why this needs to involve so many people, if funding is an issue…" Mrs Taylor said.

"No, no, you misunderstand, Harry is not special simply because 'you know who' disappeared but because he survived something that no one else has" Dumbledore said between bites of a nice tart Mrs Taylor had supplied.

"So what? Do they think he's special?" Mr Taylor asked eyeing Snape suspiciously before looking back at Dumbledore.

"Of coarse Harry is special" McGonagall said, "his parents were brilliant and despite his problems, with enough input I think Harry has great potential"

"His problems? You know we hear about his problems a lot. But when I look at Harry I don't see a problem. I see a fantastic boy who has a chance at a future just as bright as any one else" Mrs Taylor said.

Dumbledore raised his hand gently "And he does" he said, "Harry is Harry, but there will be obstacles, we at Hogwarts have never had to deal with autism before. In fact there is no record of it in any witch or wizard. It is all most unusual, that is all the professor was trying to say"

"As long as you all understand if we think this is not what is best for Harry at any time we will be removing him forthwith from your school" Mr Taylor said "He is our son"

Dumbledore nodded gravely for no matter what Harry's parents decided he knew Harry would have to attend Hogwarts. The prophecy weighed heavily on his thoughts even more now that he had discovered Harry was different.

It was at that point that the minister arrived thus halting the direction of the conversation.

It turned out that the minister had been informed on the situation and had immediately created a team of twenty-three ministry workers to research autism. It had turned into a bit of a fiasco; hordes of strangely dressed wizards and witches had gone forth into the world of muggle academia to find out about autism.

In the end the task had turned into something much greater than they thought it would be. In order to get out library books they needed a library card and an address in muggle London. In order to research on the Internet which they had been told had a reasonable amount of information, they needed access to a computer connected to the Internet, that and some actual knowledge on how to make them work.

The owner of an Internet café had almost rang the police when a man dressed in a women's bathing suit a kilt and a top hat had come in and repeatedly shook his hand before asking to use a 'comparter thingy'. Sending him to one close by which was not in use he decided to intervene when he noticed the wizard trying to talk into the mouse.

In the end though with several very interesting trips to some universities and well-known doctors who specialised in the area they had been able to accumulate a mass of information that they were now trying to understand. It became very quickly apparent that muggles had made up a whole heap of words (besides autism), which they loved to use. But the team was now armed with a various assortment of dictionaries.

The Minister did not arrive alone as every one had been expecting but brought with him two of the wizards responsible for heading up the research. Each of which had with them huge folders of information and very serious expressions on their faces.

Once every one was seated and Mrs Taylor had offered them all something to eat and drink they settled quickly into business.

"Does he have any comorbid's? Is he verbal?" the minister asked seriously his green hat on his knees.

"Its all in the reports" Mrs Taylor said as she glanced at the Hogwarts teachers. Dumbledore seemed uninterested in them and was instead searching in his robes for something. McGonagall's lips were pressed together in a thin line and Professor Snape was giving them an even filthier stare than he had given them. "I had assumed that you were all communicating amongst yourselves"

"Of coarse" the minister said giving her a small smile and reached across for the folder that McGonagall was grudgingly handing out for her.

And so the meeting progressed much in the same way. Snape put in several comments; he was suspicious of autism even existing ("just because the boy has tantrums and acts like a spoiled brat hardly means he deserves special attention"). The minister was concerned in knowing just what Harry could and could not do. Dumbledore had to keep steering the conversation in the direction of what support would need to be in place at Hogwarts to make it a suitable learning environment for him.

So far they had decided that a timetable would be placed in Harry's dorm room the common room, entrance hall and in each of Harry's classes. They would set up a buddy system with another child in his year to help with common room life. They also decided that the prefects of which ever house he was sorted into would need to be meet with so they could get them to watch out for the boy. On top of that a private tutor would be hired by the ministry to help Harry while he was in class (much like a teacher aid).

He would also receive a special computer currently being created by the Hogwarts stuff, which unlike other such devices would be able to work within the castle. Snape scoffed but it was explained that Harry had dyspraxia and so he struggled to write with a pen, learning to write with a quill would be an almost impossible and highly stressful task for him.

The Taylor's fireplace would be joined to the floo network so that Harry could still attend his much-needed therapies. They were just discussing what suggestions they would give to each of his teachers when Harry himself made an appearance. He walked down the stairs and past the sitting room that had fallen silent and into the kitchen to look at the timetable attached to the fridge. Then there was some clattering as he took out a plate and glass.

"Its time for his afternoon snack" Mrs Taylor explained "He'll be coming in here in a minute to eat it".

Sure enough a moment latter Harry walked in carrying a tray. He knew that these people would be here, his mum had been telling him for the last few days about it and it was on his timetable but that did not stop him from being a little bit annoyed at them for imposing themselves on his afternoon-tea room.

Sitting at his normal spot by the coffee table he placed his tray on it. His drink of half juice and half water sat on the left hand corner. His biscuits, three of them were lined up in a neat row on a plate.

"How is your day going Harry?" Mr Taylor asked into the uncomfortable silence.

Harry looked away, feeling tense and unsure, he did not want to look at the normally empty seats.

"Say hello Harry" Mrs Taylor said firmly.

Harry glanced around at the people, there were more than he had expected. He looked down intently at his plate of biscuits.

"Hello" he said, followed promptly by "go away".

"Harry you know that you are not supposed to say that it's rude" Mrs Taylor said.

"Rude" Harry said.

"Yes Harry, being rude can hurt peoples feelings"

But Harry did not seem to mind "go away, go away, go away" He said and started to sway his body from side to side while he glanced at them again from the corner of his eyes.

"Harry is not used to this many people being here" Mrs Taylor said apologetically "And he's been a bit stressed lately with all the attention the owls brought us"

"Which means he's been behaving rudely towards my wife and having meltdowns. He hadn't had one in months but lately he's been getting a lot worse." Mr Taylor said.

"Have you talked to him about Hogwarts?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes, we've had several conversations with him and he seems to be pleased with the idea, the holidays are never an easy time any way and with everything that's been happening it's been more stressful than usual." Mrs Taylor said.

"Harry" Dumbledore said his blue eyes watching the boy who had stopped his swaying and was now nibbling on one of his biscuits.

Harry did nothing to indicate he had herd the man but Dumbledore continued on unaffected "would you like to come to Hogwarts and learn magic?" He asked the boy.

Harry stilled and his eyes glanced up at the man with the huge white beard. "Magic" Harry said and then paused his mouth made a circle as if he was groping for the right words. "I want to learn Magic" he finally pushed out in a stilted voice.

Dumbledore smiled with a twinkle in his eyes "well then my dear boy you shall of coarse"

* * *

Dumbledore had come back for another visit with photos of Hogwarts all labelled for Harry to look at and keep. He had a small discussion with the boy to discover just how much Harry knew, but he could glean very little of what the boy actually told him. Though he talked a lot more with just the two of them what he said did not necessarily answer the question or communicate very effectively. He decided that Harry was probably as confused by what he was saying as he was by some of Harry's answers.

For instance "There is a lake at Hogwarts" he had said and shown Harry the photo.

"Lake" Harry had said while looking at the photo.

"Do you like to swim?" Dumbledore had asked.

"I like to swim" Harry had replied but Dumbledore could not tell if Harry meant it or if he was merely repeating what he thought he had been taught to say.

"This is the Whomping Willow" He said and showed Harry a picture "it's dangerous" he said.

"Dangerous"

"It's not safe to approach it"

"Be careful of cars," Harry said.

Dumbledore pressed on "And this is inside the great hall, this is where you will eat your meals"

Harry looked at it, his eyes zoning in on the roof "special roof" he said.

Dumbledore paused surprised "yes my boy that's right" he said and wondered just what the boy had figured out about it.

"There are four houses at Hogwarts, you will be sorted into one by this" he said and produced a picture of the sorting hat. "We will put it on your head and it will sort you into the house you are meant to be in"

Harry looked at it for awhile, then suddenly he threw the photo from him "Hat's are not people" he said.

"That's right Harry, but the sorting Hat is a special hat"

"It is not a person, it is… like a person" Harry said with some trouble while glancing at the photo.

"That's right Harry, your learning about the magical world very quickly" he said.

"Learning" Harry replied and then tried to pry the next photo from the man.

The memory made him smile.

He looked out of his window and stroked _Fawkes__._ Hogwarts was about to be tested in a way it had not been tested before. Hopefully in the process they would come to understand how a condition unfound in the magical population had appeared in the boy who lived of all people. This was sure to cause a commotion.

* * *

Harry and his parents meet up with his new tutor on their trip to Diagon Alley to help them buy Harry's supplies and introduce herself. They were also supplied with the key to Harry's vault and told its origins. For Harry's parents finding out about how Lilly and James Potter had been murdered was a horrible experience. They had talked about it with Harry but he had shown very little response though Mrs Taylor had noticed him becoming unusually quite (even for him) and it seemed like he had understood what they had been trying to explain.

His mum held his hand as they walked along Diagon Alley. She had been worried about overwhelming Harry and although he kept flapping his hand around in front of him and saying "magic" over and over he seemed to cope.

In Gringotts when the Goblins had taken them down to his vault Harry had enjoyed it so much that he had wanted to go again.

He had had a slight tantrum when leaving but it had quickly vanished when they made it back out onto the street. Mrs Taylor decided they would get the worst done with first and headed to get Harry's uniform.

Harry did not want to stand on the stool, did not want the poor women touching him, did not want to try anything on and generally made everything difficult. His new tutor a woman by the name of Umbridge had remained very silent though out the entire trip other than to clear her throat when Harry miss behaved while throwing his parents pointed looks of disapproval.

It was on there way to the book store that she decided that her time of observation was over "I don't get along well with little boys who don't behave themselves" she said while looking at Harry who was looking intently at the different things hanging from the roofs of the shops they passed. "I will not accept your bad behaviour like your parents do" He still had not acknowledged her.

"Ahem" she said angrily and turned to step in his way. He seemed startled and groaned angrily "go away" he said.

"No, you need to learn…" she began

"You won't get very far with him the way your going about it" Mr Taylor said seriously.

He shared a look with Mrs Taylor.

"I am perfectly capable…"

Again Mr Taylor cut her off "I'm sure you are but Harry isn't like other children"

"Nonsense Mr Taylor, Harry just needs some proper discipline, I'll have him behaving like a normal child in no time" She said.

"I don't think you're the right person to work with my son Miss Umbridge" Mrs Taylor said as she edged herself between the women and her son.

"I was appointed by the minister for magic himself," she said and lifted her head in an important manner.

"I am his mother, and if I even detect a hint of unhappiness from Harry on his regular visits home I'll have him out of that school immediately do you here me, minister for magic or not" Mrs Taylor said and gently took Harry's arm to lead him into the book store. He flinched slightly at the contact and she felt a bit worried but upon seeing the neatly ordered piles of books Harry began looking at the rows happily.

The trip was long and marred by the women that Mrs Taylor could not help but not like one bit. She would send a letter to Dumbledore first thing when she arrived home.

The rest of the trip was largely uneventful which was lucky that was until they got to the wand shop. Harry had at first became very still before he had started walking around each of the walls and running his hands on as many of the different surfaces he could. He actually held still for the measuring tape the strange man produced. When the man began giving Harry wands instead of giving them a wave as the man suggested Harry simply said "no" and pushed it back at the man. Who at first eyed him with curious eyes but then agreed. So that was how it was. Wand after wand, until Mr Ollivander did not even bother handing them to Harry but instead held them out for Harry to touch.

The man did not seem bothered, instead he seemed to be enjoying himself. After awhile he had exhausted the options in the front of his shop and had disappeared down the back.

It was very slowly that he emerged with a wand.

"Try this one," he said and handed it to Harry who smiled as the wand shone brightly and sent a rainbow of collared sparks out the end. The man clapped happily followed by his parents who smiled happily at their son. His smiles were precious, every single one of them.

"Curious… very curious"

* * *


End file.
